Released on: 25 November 2015

In response to the BMJ 'Association Between Day of Delivery and Obstetric Outcomes' study, NCT Head of Research, Dr Sarah McMullen, said:

“Parents should be confident of receiving a high standard of care for mothers and babies regardless of the day or time that they give birth. This study suggests that complications are more likely to occur for mothers admitted and babies born at the weekend, and that babies born at the weekend have a slightly greater risk of death. What the study doesn’t do is tell us why these differences exist and we do not want parents to be alarmed unncessarily.

As the authors of the study themselves acknowledge, this research is based on limited data and more evidence is needed to draw robust conclusions about any link between the time of birth and infant mortality rates. NCT are pleased to be involved in an NIHR funded study led by City University London, which will use more reliable and detailed data sources to examine these patterns in more depth. "

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